Should I get another license?

[perfexion, ASN, RN]

I'm a NY licensed L&D nurse living (and also licensed) in NJ, but I applied for my CA license so that I can take travel jobs out there. I don't have to tell you all the long and difficult process to get a CA license. There are enough threads about the horrible CA BON. I got my TX license but I decided not to take any jobs out there right now because there are a lot of negative threads on here about the blacklist and the poor treatment of nurses. I may take a job out there after I've had more travel experience but I don't want to go there as a novice traveler. So now I'm in limbo. There are no jobs that I want in NY or NJ. There are a few jobs in Upstate NY and Southern NJ but the pay is so low it's not worth going there. So I'm kinda stuck at the moment. I'm itching to travel but I have no where to go. Should I get another license in a walk-through state and take an assignment until my CA arrives (in 4-6 years) or should I just be patient and wait? Does it even make sense to get more licenses?

[trackhead, APRN]

If you want to travel now, and there aren't any jobs in the states that you are licensed in, then it looks like you need to be licensed in another state. Black and white.

[NedRN]

You don't need to get a license in a walk through state ahead of time. Think about that a bit more!

if you know you want to work in Florida (for example), it would be in your interest to get it ahead of applying for assignments. There is a big advantage in getting certain states you have an interest in working in the near future, those states that require you to verify every license ever held. If you wait until your CA license is issued, you will have to wait two months (roughly) for CA to verify plus $60 to get those licences.

If that is a concern, you can use PanTravelers board resource to quickly research affected states. Off the top of my head, MA and NJ require verifying all licences ever held.